6.

4 The Power Flow Problem

Page 324
Classification Of Buses to Study Power Flow Problem
The power-flow problem is the computation of voltage Magnitude and Phase
angle  at each bus in a power system under balanced three-phase steady-
state conditions. As a by-product of this calculation, real and reactive power
flows in equipment such as transmission lines and transformers, as well as
equipment losses, can be computed. Four variables are associated with each
bus. At each bus, two of these variables are specified as input data, and the
other two are unknowns to be computed by the power-flow program.
Busses P (Watts) Q (VAR) Volts  (Load Angle)
Slack–Reference 
(Swing) ? ?  1∠0° pu

Load -PQ   ? ?

Voltage-PV  ?  ?
(Generator)
Power Flow Bus Type
 http://nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT-KANPUR/power-system/chapter_4/4_3a.html

Classification Of Buses
Slack or Swing Bus : Usually this bus is numbered 1 for the load flow studies. This bus sets the angular
reference for all the other buses. Since it is the angle difference between two voltage sources that dictates the
real and reactive power flow between them, the particular angle of the slack bus is not important. However it sets
the reference against which angles of all the other bus voltages are measured. For this reason the angle of this
bus is usually chosen as 0° . Furthermore it is assumed that the magnitude of the voltage of this bus is known.
Now consider a typical load flow problem in which all the load demands are known. Even if the generation
matches the sum total of these demands exactly, the mismatch between generation and load will persist because
of the line I 2R losses. Since the I 2R loss of a line depends on the line current which, in turn, depends on the
magnitudes and angles of voltages of the two buses connected to the line, it is rather difficult to estimate the loss
without calculating the voltages and angles. For this reason a generator bus is usually chosen as the slack
bus without specifying its real power. It is assumed that the generator connected to this bus will supply the
balance of the real power required and the line losses.

Load Buses : In these buses no generators are connected and hence the generated real power PGi and reactive
power QGi are taken as zero. The load drawn by these buses are defined by real power -PLi and reactive power
-QLi in which the negative sign accommodates for the power flowing out of the bus. This is why these buses are
sometimes referred to as P-Q bus. The objective of the load flow is to find the bus voltage magnitude |Vi| and its
angle δi.

Voltage Controlled Buses : These are the buses where generators are connected. Therefore the power
generation in such buses is controlled through a prime mover while the terminal voltage is controlled through the
generator excitation. Keeping the input power constant through turbine-governor control and keeping the bus
voltage constant using automatic voltage regulator, we can specify constant PGi and | Vi | for these buses. This is
why such buses are also referred to as P-V buses. It is to be noted that the reactive power supplied by the
generator QGi depends on the system configuration and cannot be specified in advance. Furthermore we have to
find the unknown angle δi of the bus voltage.
Read Also this if u don’t understand the previous slide

c. Slack bus (swing bus) –

a special generator bus serving as the reference bus for the power system. Its voltage is
assumed to be fixed in both magnitude and phase (for instance, 1∠0° pu). The real and
reactive powers are uncontrolled: the bus supplies whatever real or reactive power is
necessary to make the power flows in the system balance.

In practice, a voltage on a load bus may change with changing loads. Therefore, load
busses have specified values of P and Q, while V varies with load conditions. Real
generators work most efficiently when running at full load. Therefore, it is desirable to
keep all but one (or a few) generators running at 100% capacity, while allowing the
remaining (swing) generator to handle increases and decreases in load demand.
Most busses with generators will supply a fixed amount of power and the magnitude of
their voltages will be maintained constant by field circuits of generators. These busses
have specific values of P and |Vi|. The controls on the swing generator will be set up to
maintain a constant voltage and frequency, allowing P and Q to increase or decrease as
loads change.
What is Bus (Bus Bar)?
 SINGLE LINE KEY DIAGRAM 132-KV GSS E-8
SJANI G-5
Es-1
101
ISE-1

600/5 2-1 132 KV Bus Bar

1-1
81-1
100/5

ISE-81
L A

10/15 MVA
T-1
132/11 KV
L A

800/5

11 KV Bus Bar I/C-1

Vacuum
Circuit
Breaker
(VCB)
 SINGLE LINE DIAGRAM OF
FACULTY OFFICE
ClassOffice
Faculty room

40A

Washroom Sockets
Light Fan
(computers)
s s

2.5A 2.5A 13A 26A

X6
X7 X7 (CABINS)

AC AC Printer Dispenser Networking

switch
 SINGLE LINE WIRE
DIAGRAM
First
floor

Office Ladies Gents Faculty Female Male A/C Anwar Office Corridor
B101 B104 B106 B105 B107 B108 B109 B110
(HOD) washroom washroom conference Faculty Faculty Saeed Electrical
Office
 SINGLE LINE WIRE
DIAGRAM
Second
floor

Conference Ladies Gents Mechatronics Office (Sir Office (sir) Corridor

B203 B204 B205 B206 B207 B208 EM lab
hall washroom washroom conference Irshad) Office
(1) Swing Bus (Slack or Reference Bus) (V &  fixed-known) At this bus the
Generation Pg and Qg are not specified. The voltage magnitude is specified
and phase angle  is also fixed at this bus (for instance, 1∠0° pu), so that
all voltage phase angles are measured with respect to voltage at this bus. For
this reason slack bus is also known as reference bus.
Pg=Pd+Pl; Qg=Qd+Ql where Pg; and Qg are the total real and reactive
generations, Pd and Qd are the total real and reactive power demands and Pl
and QI. are the power losses in the transmission network. The values of Pg' Qg'
Pd and Qd are either known or estimated (load forecast). Since the flow of
currents in the various lines in the transmission lines are not known in advance,
PI. and QI, but these losses have to be supplied by the generators. For this
purpose, one of the generators or generating bus is specified as 'slack
bus (dropping)' or 'swing bus'. All the system losses are supplied by the
generation at this bus. Further the system voltage profile is also influenced by
the voltage specified at this bus.
used to balance the active |P| & reactive
power |Q| in the system while performing
Load flow studies in Electrical Power
Systems. used to provide system losses
by emitting or absorbing active/reactive
power to/from the system. the slack bus
must absorb all uncertainties arising from
the system
Classification of Buses

(2) Load Bus (PQ Bus) : Only Load Connected and No Generation Exists
is called a load bus. P and Q load demand Pd and Qd are drawn from the supply
(load forecast). Quite often, the Q is calculated from P demand with an
assumed power factor. A load bus is also called a P, Q bus. Since the load
demands Pd and Qd are known values at this bus. The other two unknown
quantities at a load bus are voltage magnitude and its phase angle  at the
bus. In a power balance equation Pd and Qd are treated as negative quantities
since generated powers Pg and Qg are assumed positive.
(3) Generator Bus or Voltage controlled Bus or (PV Bus): A voltage
controlled bus is any bus in the system where the voltage magnitude can
be controlled by adjusting the field current of a synchronous generator to
maintain constant terminal voltage across the load. The real power
developed by a synchronous generator can be varied by changing the prime
mover input. This in turn changes the machine rotor axis position with respect
to a synchronously rotating or reference axis or a reference bus. In other
words, the phase angle of the rotor  is directly related to the real power
generated by the machine. The voltage magnitude on the other hand, is mainly,
influenced by the excitation current in the field winding. Thus at a generator bus
the real power generation Pg and the voltage magnitude IVgI can be
specified. It is also possible to produce vars by using capacitor or reactor
banks too. They compensate the lagging or leading vars consumed and then
contribute to voltage control. At a generator bus or voltage controlled bus, also
called a PV-bus the reactive power Qg and g are the values that are not
known and are to be computed.
 Assignment
• In a 3-bus power flow system, after current
noddle analysis the following currents were
found at each bus. Use Jacobi Method to find
the value of each current
• 5I1 – I2 + 2I3 = 12
• 3I1 + 8I2 – 2I3 = -25
• I1 + I2 + 4I3 = 6
Hint